PISCES(February 19 - March 20)Now is a lucky time for making connections. Join clubs or partake in social events when you have the opportunity to meet new and interesting people. This will yield some networking possibilities for you. Siblings and relatives may need or offer help on the domestic front. Be careful to avoid loss or theft of valuables. The spotlight in on security today, both emotional and financial security. Practice self-care and resolve conflicts. Avoid risky monetary decisions. Engaging in sensible planning for the future will put you at ease and make you feel secure. Evaluate your income and spending, and seek balance in life. Remain goal oriented.

CANCER(June 21 - July 22)An important purchase or deal demands your attention. Solicit advice from close companions. Communicate effective and you will fare well in legal decisions. It's not just about being better. It's about being different. You need to give people a reason to choose you. You are looking to get plans approved and set achievements in motion. You are eager to take the lead. Discontent with your situation in life may come to the forefront. Recognition and material success feel increasingly important. Reach out to others for assistance if needed.

TAURUS(April 20 - May 20)A chance to travel, perhaps abroad, will afford you opportunities to expand your mind and display your creativity. Your love of learning may lead you to a pursuit in higher ed. Look to a mentor, maybe a father or grandfather, who was wisdom to offer you right now. Diplomatic relations with lead you to good fortune. You may feel a heightened sensitivity right now and a need to get in touch with yourself. Time spent alone can be productive, allowing you to take stock of your own talents and abilities. Don't let your heart lead your brain unreasonably. Prioritize what needs to be accomplished and find out the best way to do so.

LEO(July 23 - August 22)You have a lot of worries on your mind, perhaps concerning work as well as family. Continue to work hard and your efforts will set you apart from the competition you find yourself in. Embarking on some new training will also assist you in your work. Avoid being drawn into unnecessary disputes. Stay the course and you will fare well. Freedom on all levels is the focus. You feel a need to spread out and grow, intellectually as well as spiritually. New experiences and dreams are all favored. Plan a trip or take a small risk. You're feeling restless so explore a new point of view on your life.

LIBRA(September 23 - October 22)You may be facing disruptions to your current plans. Address the matters in front of you, whether it's a relationship in trouble or a renovation or needed repair. A long term purchase or investment may need to be weighed right now. Make time to consider the matter in depth. Personal relationships will engross you today. You require emotional contact. You may be anxious about partnerships, contracts or business transactions. Your charisma and dedication will impress others. Your openness is the key to your success. Now's a good time to try and get friends to open up to you.

SAGITTARIUS(November 22 - December 21)Family are ready to celebrate your professional successes. Share a meal to toast a promotion or raise. Enjoy the windfall of cash perhaps treating yourself to an item you've been eyeing but don't overdo it. And continue to be attentive to those in need. Some distress may befall loved ones or neighbors. You feel expressive and even outrageous today, surging with confidence. You need to be heard, seen and noticed. You feel a desire to exhibit your personal flair. An invitation to see a movie or play may arrive. Enjoy life to the fullest, within reason of course.

SCORPIO(October 23 - November 21)Siblings play a critical role in your life right now, perhaps joining you in leisure activities or help with repairs or renovations at home. Effective communication is the order of the day. Networking effectively will lead to opportunities in the future. Call, email, text or write to family and friends and be a good listener. Put off making important decision about work and career changes, as you may be feeling indecisive today. Work on ideas that have been on your mind. New connections will improve your efficiency and money management. Always remember that dreams and ideas never yield a penny until you work hard to accomplish them.

CAPRICORN(December 22 - January 19)The promise of travel excites you right now. Be sure to start your journey well prepared as complications may be unavoidable. Studying something new, perhaps taking a class in higher ed, will bolster your sense of self-worth. A father figure may be significant as you try to evaluate your own strengths and limitations. Your thoughts turn inwards and toward household affairs today. You need more personal space than usual, looking for security and comfort. The past is on your mind, especially memories of safety and peace. Think about building a safe and permanent foundation for the future. Long term planning always helps.

ARIES(March 21 - April 19)You have been putting in a lot of effort at work recently and finally your hard work is rewarded. Enjoy the recognition and rewards that are offered to you. It makes a nice break from your worries of recent days. Relish the newfound glory of your success. You are eager for a fresh start. Use this momentum to change some personal habits or refresh your appearance. Enjoy today's inspiring mood to make reasonable changes to your routine and outlook. Time to show the world your true self and have fun doing it!

VIRGO(August 23 - September 22)Make time for leisure or romance today. You may feel drawn to the new and unknown, perhaps spiritual or ritual ones. Follow your instincts but don't ignore reason, especially when it comes to taking chances. Connect with an elder, maybe a grandfather, is on your mind. You are now seeking new experiences and intense bonds. Emotional commitments are important to you as you search for meaning. Money and material comforts demand your attention. Finances and romance are in the spotlight. While something in your life may be ending, try and approach this objectively and focus on what you already have.

GEMINI(May 21 - June 20)A recent setback is causing you stress. An inheritance or some unexpected cash may be headed your way. It may help out with a repair or renovation needed at home. Avoid keeping secrets from family. Sharing your worries will give you peace of mind. You may feel pulled to join a group or organization right now in order to network. You are in touch with the moods of those around you and could even be adversely impacted by them. Your sense of belonging (or lack thereof) may propel you to catch up with old friends and family.

AQUARIUS(January 20 - February 18)Being alone feels right at the moment. There is an issue, maybe a health or mysterious one, that you want to research. Consults doctors and elders for their wisdom. Record your dreams and see what your subconscious yields. Avoid casual flings. Keeping up with your schedule may prove challenging today. Exchange ideas with others, especially siblings and neighbors. Expect sudden calls or emails. Deepen a connection with a woman who's close to you. It's a good time to start thinking about your future, especially in terms of a relationship.

Animal Fylgja

I felt like posting something to explore the concept of Fylgja, as I think it can be an important part of Heathenry and Northern cultural workings in general. A lot of it gets mixed up in the neo-workings and re-creations of older practices.

The animal-shaped fetch is usually in a form that corresponds to the character of the person to whom it is attached-a wolf, an eagle, a horse, a fox, a mouse, and so on. It can be separated from the vitki as a magical act. The vitki also may project his conscious will into the fetch in order to carry out magical workings. A geometrical shape is often seen by those with "second sight" going out in front of persons of great power. The fylgja is the repository of all of the actions of the persons to whom the entity was previously attached. It can be the source of great power but also of tremendous responsibilities and even hardships. This entity is the storehouse of orlog-it can protect and it can doom. (Thorsson)

During the deep trance/meditative stages of Seidhr or dream-workings you may work with your animal fetch. An animal fetch is akin to spirit guides, animal totems, familiars, power animals, and so much more. None of those words do it justice, as I see it as a large combination of all of these things. Sometimes certain animal fertches may be called: fylgja** (follower), and alsoVordr (keeper/protector).. The exact definition and meaning of these words are debatable, as the concepts can be quite elaborate- so Ill do my best to condense them down.These are the animals/creatures that are believed to accompany us throughout our entire life (it always remains the same animal).

This animal conforms and molds to the persons personality. Like a mirror image, the animal fylgja represents the person it stands for. It is believed that our well-being depends on the well-being of our animal fylgja. It is very similar to the concept of Hugr, the norse concept of the soul- and many people view the fylgja as being a part of this hugr, or soul, that is capable of leaving the body and projecting. (Sound familiar?) Yet while it is thought to be attached to us, and a part or piece of our soul, it is thought to also be slightly independent. Gundarsson describes it as a semi-independent being. You may wish to read my article on Norse concepts of soul,as it is hard to understand this idea without the backing concepts.

Often throughout Norse/Icelandic literature youll find mentioning of a persons fylgja warning them of some event to come in their dreams. It was thought that someones fylgja might appear to someone else in their dreams as well. Ljosvetninga saga tells the tale of a man who sees two animal fylgja leading a herd against him, and when he wakes he knows who the owners of the fylgja are and knows of their intent to do him harm from the characteristics and behaviors of those animals.Further than that, it is thought that some people possess a special ability or second sight that allows them to see the fylgja of others, much like some people see spirits and other entities. Seeing your own fylgja (while awake) was thought to be bad luck, and an omen of illness or death.

Its believed that the animal fylgja and the owner are strongly connected on a spiritual level. The animal, as I mentioned, tends to symbolize the person. In literature we find that sometimes certain animals symbolized ranks. Chiefs and other important men were thought to have big, exotic or even foreign animals- while men of less class or rank may have smaller, more normalized animals as their fylgja. Today, this hasnt been as strongly believed in as it once was. As I also mentioned, our well-being depends on the well-being of our animal fylgja. By this I mean that it was thought that should a person die, their animal fylgja dies too. (Actually, it was thought that the fylgja dies before the person, which leads to that person dying soon afterwards- as it would represent a part of that person, and their soul, moving on to the next life). Similar to reincarnation, there is the idea that certain animal fylgja are passed down through lineage and that strong fylgjas may choose to pass on from one person to their kin, and thus stores a sense of the previous persons it has been a part of. (This ties in closely with Norse views of lineage,kin, heritage, etc).

In Scandinavian folklore, each person has an animal shape which follows him like a shadow and can be seen by the second-sighted (although what is seen may be the hamingja, see below). Shamans can shape-change astrally into a variety of animals to go journeying. In the Ynglingasaga, Snorri tells us that among the seidh skills possessed by Odin was the ability to go forth in animal form while his body lay as if sleepingSomeone who changes form easily is hamrammR-- "shapestrong"; a journey taken in another shape is hamfarir; hamask means to fall into a state of animal fury; hamslauss to be out of one's shape; and hambleytha is the act of leaping out of one's skin. One is reminded of the Navajo term, "skinwalker" for a witch who takes wolf form. For simplicity's sake, I favor referring to a spirit guide who appears in animal form as the hamingja, and the shape which an experienced practitioner of seidh uses for astral travel as the hamR. (Paxson)

In Heathenry and magickal workings, the fylgja serves a variety of purposes. For one, it is thought that Gods or deities may send us messages or otherwise interact with us through our fylgja. When faring forth or setting out- a person doing these types of working is actually doing projecting, similar to the ideas of AP. Skilled practiconers and northern shamans work on projecting, spiritwalking or otherwise doing seidhr journeywork while IN the form their animal fylgja is in. This means the person spiritually would take that animal form, and travel (project) with it to the other realms for some purpose. There are several other uses for working in the fylgja form. Berserks often channel or project an animal when doing their works, and the eigi einhamr did similar things- spiritually manipulating their hugr to take on these forms. The fylgja can be called upon to Fare forth for a person, and bring back information. Help in communing with other entities and spirits. It can be called for protection and defense, spiritually. And it often accompanies the northern shaman/worker on their spirit journeys.

As I mentioned in my article on Norse concepts of soul: You might look into Freya Aswynn's work if you are interested in learning more of how this is implemented into magick, and related to Western ideas. In a way, when you are projecting your hug, altering it, sending it on tasks- it is similar to the idea of Astral Projection, more or less. Because if you didnt already know- Ham and Hide are the two terms technically referring to energy/astral body. The word LICHE is used to describe the physical body. If you dont see the word liche when youre reading something on this- its not talking about anything physical.(and again be careful with your sources! Sometimes the word liche is used inappropriately to describe a dead corpse- under the concepts I speak of it just means body) Ive used the term Faring forth before- which is what we tend to call this. Its shamanic, in a way, and involves the traveling of realms, planes, etc through trance-work and other means.

** Be careful with the word Fylgja. It may also refer to a womans spirit that attaches itself to a person. Seeing this fylgja was said to be an omen of negativity and often death. People also tend to associate the woman fylgja with luck. Should you have her favor, your luck is greatly improved. Should you fall into an ill relationship with your fylgja, your luck is ruined. The ideas of a woman fylgja are surprisingly similar to the ideas of an animal fylgja, in that it is thought they too followed individuals throughout their lives. They were typically known as dis. Valkyries, the Norns, and other female spirits could be this attending spirit.

In Old Norse myth and literature, three supernatural beings, fylgjur (sg. fylgja), hamingjur (sg. hamingja), and dsir (sg. ds) held status as attendant spirits. Linguistically, ds and hamingja hold a more straightforward connotation. The word ds generally refers to a goddess or priestess, but in the terms discussed here it denotes a female guardian spirit.6 The word hamingja, interestingly, can suggest outright luck or fortune, while still holding on to the meaning of a guardian spirit. Cleasby-Vigfsson remarks that hamingja and fylgja are contextually almost synonymous, for hamingjur, like fylgjur, often take the shape either of an animal or of a human, typically female, form. The hamingjur developed from the mythological Norns, or the hamingjur of the world (Cleasby-Vigfsson 1957, hamingja).(Bryan)**

**Also keep in mind, the animal fylgja DO NOT have to appear as animals. They have been said to appear as mirror images of the person they stand for. But more typically are seen to be perceived as animals. And you may have MORE than one animal fylgja, though more than two is uncommon.**

Article on Seidhr:

http://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=395298

Article on Nordic Concepts of the Soul:

http://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=396609

Article on Orlog:

http://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=387233

Sources:

Hyge-Crft: Working with the Soul in the Northern Tradition by Diana L. Paxson

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